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2022
Specialist
Mathematics

Year 12
Application Task
(Time allowed: 4 hours plus)

© Copyright itute 2020

Theme: Chebyshev polynomials
The Chebyshev polynomials are a sequence of polynomials related to de Moivre’s formula.
In this task you are to generate the Chebyshev polynomials and explore some of their properties and applications.

Assumed knowledge: Complex numbers, functions/graphs, compound/double angle formulas, identities,

recursion, differentiation, integration, CAS

Part I (80-90 min)

Consider complex number z with argument θ shown in the following Argand diagram.

a. Express z in polar form.

b. State z and plot it accurately on the above Argand diagram.

c. Plot z 2 and z 2 accurately on the above Argand diagram.

1 2
d. Express
2
( )
z + z 2 in terms of θ .

1 n
e. Express
2
( )
z + z n in terms of θ , n = 0, 1, 2, 3, L .

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2022 Specialist Mathematics Year 12 Application Task © Copyright 2020 itute
 1 n
f. Hence show that
2
(z + z n ) = cos(n cos−1 (x )) where x = Re(z ) .

( )
Let Tn ( x ) = cos n cos −1 ( x ) .
g. State the domain and range of Tn ( x ) .

h. Show that T0 ( x ) = 1 and T1 ( x ) = x .

i. By means of the double angle and compound angle formulas, show that T2 ( x ) = 2 x 2 − 1 and T3 ( x ) = 4 x 3 − 3 x .

T1 (x ) , T2 ( x ) etc are called Chebyshev polynomials. Tn ( x ) is the nth Chebyshev polynomial.

For n = 3, 4, L , Tn ( x ) can be determined by repeated use of the compound angle formula, and the process is very
laborious.

( )
j. Given Tn ( x ) = cos n cos −1 ( x ) , write an expression for each of Tn +1 ( x ) and Tn −1 ( x ) .

k. Show that Tn +1 ( x ) = 2 xTn ( x ) − Tn −1 ( x ) .

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l. Use the information in part h, part i and the recurrence relation in part k, show that Chebyshev polynomials
T4 ( x ) = 8 x 4 − 8 x 2 + 1 and T5 ( x ) = 16 x 5 − 20 x3 + 5 x .

Four more Chebyshev polynomials of higher degrees are shown below.

T6 ( x ) = 32 x 6 − 48 x 4 + 18 x 2 − 1
T7 ( x ) = 64 x 7 − 112 x 5 + 56 x 3 − 7 x
T8 ( x ) = 128 x8 − 256 x 6 + 160 x 4 − 32 x 2 + 1
T9 ( x ) = 256 x 9 − 576 x 7 + 432 x5 − 120 x 3 + 9 x

m. Study the coefficient of the first term of each Chebyshev polynomial discussed so far.
In terms of n write down the coefficient of the first term of Chebyshev polynomial Tn .

n. The sum of coefficients equals 1 in each of the nine Chebyshev polynomials investigated above.
Prove that the sum of coefficients equals 1 in any Tn ( x ) .

End of Part I
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Part II (80-90 min)
If students attempt Part II at a latter time, they should have copies of their Part I to access the given information
and their workings.
T0 ( x ) and the first nine Chebyshev polynomials are reprinted below for reference.

T0 ( x ) = 1
T1 ( x ) = x
T2 ( x ) = 2 x 2 − 1
T3 ( x ) = 4 x3 − 3 x
T4 ( x ) = 8 x 4 − 8 x 2 + 1
T5 ( x ) = 16 x 5 − 20 x3 + 5 x
T6 ( x ) = 32 x 6 − 48 x 4 + 18 x 2 − 1
T7 ( x ) = 64 x 7 − 112 x 5 + 56 x 3 − 7 x
T8 ( x ) = 128 x8 − 256 x 6 + 160 x 4 − 32 x 2 + 1
T9 ( x ) = 256 x 9 − 576 x 7 + 432 x5 − 120 x 3 + 9 x

( )
where Tn ( x ) = cos n cos −1 ( x ) , x ∈ [− 1, 1] .

a. Show (NOT verify) that or explain why Tn ( x ) is a nth degree polynomial.

(
Hint: Use the definition Tn ( x ) = cos n cos −1 ( x ) . )

b. Show (NOT verify) that a general solution to the equation Tn ( x ) = 0 is x = cos

(2k + 1)π where n ≠ 0 and
2n
k ∈ Z , set of integers.
(
Hint: Use the definition Tn ( x ) = cos n cos −1 ( x ) . )

c. Use part b to find the solutions to T3 ( x ) = 0 .

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2022 Specialist Mathematics Year 12 Application Task © Copyright 2020 itute
 d n sin (nθ )
d. Show that Tn (x ) = where θ = cos −1 ( x ) .
dx sin θ

 kπ 
e. Use part d to show that the x-coordinates of the stationary points of Tn ( x ) is given by x = cos  where
 n 
k∈Z .

f. Use part e to find the exact x-coordinates of the stationary points of T6 ( x ) .

Tn ( x ) = cos(n cos −1 ( x )) , replace n with n + 1 and n − 1 to obtain

( )
Tn +1 ( x ) = cos((n + 1)cos −1 ( x )) and Tn −1 (x ) = cos (n − 1)cos −1 ( x ) .

1 d sin ((n + 1)θ ) 1 d sin ((n − 1)θ )

g. Show that Tn +1 ( x ) = and Tn −1 ( x ) = , where θ = cos −1 ( x ) .
n + 1 dx sin θ n − 1 dx sin θ

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 1 d 1 d
h. Use the results in part g to show that Tn +1 ( x ) − Tn −1 ( x ) = 2Tn .
n + 1 dx n − 1 dx
Hint: Use the compound angle formula.

i. Use T2 ( x ) , T3 ( x ) and T4 ( x ) to verify the formula in part h.

1  T4 ( x ) T2 ( x ) 
j. Find ∫ T3 (x ) dx and  −  . Compare the two results.
2 4 2 

k. Use the formula in part h to find a formula for ∫ Tn ( x ) dx .

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 1
l. Name a property of Chebyshev polynomials Tn ( x ) for n = 1, 3, 5, L , which results in ∫ Tn ( x ) dx = 0 .
−1
Explain in terms of area bounded by Tn , the x-axis, x = −1 and x = 1 .

1
m. For n = 2, 4, 6, L , find a formula for ∫ Tn ( x ) dx in terms of n .
−1

End of Part II

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2022 Specialist Mathematics Year 12 Application Task © Copyright 2020 itute
Part III (80-90 min)
If students attempt Part III at a latter time, they should have copies of their Part I and Part II to access the given
information and their workings.
T0 ( x ) and the first nine Chebyshev polynomials are reprinted below for reference.

T0 ( x ) = 1
T1 ( x ) = x
T2 ( x ) = 2 x 2 − 1
T3 ( x ) = 4 x3 − 3 x
T4 ( x ) = 8 x 4 − 8 x 2 + 1
T5 ( x ) = 16 x 5 − 20 x3 + 5 x
T6 ( x ) = 32 x 6 − 48 x 4 + 18 x 2 − 1
T7 ( x ) = 64 x 7 − 112 x 5 + 56 x 3 − 7 x
T8 ( x ) = 128 x8 − 256 x 6 + 160 x 4 − 32 x 2 + 1
T9 ( x ) = 256 x 9 − 576 x 7 + 432 x5 − 120 x 3 + 9 x

( )
where Tn ( x ) = cos n cos −1 ( x ) , x ∈ [− 1, 1] .

Let θ = cos −1 ( x ) , Tn (cosθ ) = cos(nθ )

a. State the domain and range of Tn (cosθ ) = cos(nθ ) .

 A+ B  A− B
b. Use compound angle formulas to prove the identity cos( A) − cos(B ) = −2 sin   sin  .
 2   2 

 A+ B  A− B
Use the identity cos( A) − cos(B ) = −2 sin   sin   to answer parts c and d.
 2   2 
c. Solve T4 (cosθ ) − T2 (cosθ ) = 0 for θ .

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2022 Specialist Mathematics Year 12 Application Task © Copyright 2020 itute
d. Solve T5 (cosθ ) − T3 (cosθ ) = 0 for θ .

e. By CAS solve each of the two equations T4 ( x ) − T2 ( x ) = 0 and T5 ( x ) − T3 ( x ) = 0 for x , i.e. find the x-
coordinates of the intersections of T4 ( x ) and T2 ( x ) , and the intersections of T5 ( x ) and T3 ( x ) .

f. Compare the answers in parts c and d with the answers in part e. Comment.

g. Find a general solution to Tn +1 (cosθ ) − Tn −1 (cosθ ) = 0 in terms of n and k where k ∈ Z .

Hence find a general solution to Tn +1 ( x ) − Tn −1 ( x ) = 0 in terms of n and k .
State the relationship between n and k .

h. Similarly, find a general solution to Tn +1 (cosθ ) − Tn (cosθ ) = 0 in terms of n and k , and hence find a general
solution to Tn +1 ( x ) − Tn ( x ) = 0 in terms of n and k . State the relationship between n and k .

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2022 Specialist Mathematics Year 12 Application Task © Copyright 2020 itute
i. Choose a value of n ∈ {3, 4, 5} to verify the general solutions in part h.

The following parts explore two examples of using a series of Chebyshev polynomials to approximate functions,
f ( x ) ≈ a0T0 ( x ) + a1T1 ( x ) + a2T2 ( x ) + L + anTn ( x ) as n → ∞ , and ak is the coefficient of Tk .

j. Consider log e (1 + x ) ≈ a0T0 ( x ) + a1T1 ( x ) + a2T2 ( x ) + a3T3 ( x ) + a4T4 ( x ) + a5T5 ( x ) .

 − log e 2, n = 0

The coefficients are given by an =  − 2(− 1)n
 , n>0
n
(i) Express a0T0 ( x ) + a1T1 ( x ) + a2T2 ( x ) + a3T3 ( x ) + a4T4 ( x ) + a5T5 ( x ) as a polynomial of degree 5 in simplest form.

(ii) Sketch the graphs of y = log e (1 + x ) and y = a0T0 ( x ) + a1T1 ( x ) + a2T2 ( x ) + a3T3 ( x ) + a4T4 ( x ) + a5T5 ( x ) on the
same axes for x ∈ (− 1, 1) .

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2022 Specialist Mathematics Year 12 Application Task © Copyright 2020 itute
(iii) Comment on the closeness of the approximation to log e (1 + x ) , and the effects of increasing the number of
consecutive terms in the series.

 T (cosθ ) T3 (cosθ ) T5 (cosθ ) T7 (cosθ ) T9 (cosθ ) 

 where α ∈ R and Tn (cosθ ) = cos(nθ ) .
+
k. Consider π ≈ α  1 − + − +
 1 3 5 7 9 
(i) Find the value of α (correct to 1 decimal place) such that
π π

 T1 (cosθ ) T3 (cosθ ) T5 (cosθ ) T7 (cosθ ) T9 (cosθ ) 

3 3

∫ π dθ = ∫ α 
− π3 − π3  1
−
3
+
5
−
7
+
9
 dθ .


 T (cosθ ) T3 (cosθ ) T5 (cosθ ) T7 (cosθ ) T9 (cosθ ) 

(ii) Sketch the graphs of y = π and y = α  1 − + − +  for
 1 3 5 7 9 
 π π
θ ∈ − ,  on the same axes.
 3 3

(iii) Comment on the closeness of the two graphs, and the effects of increasing the number of consecutive terms
in the series on the ripples.

End of Task
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